Switch lock assembly

ABSTRACT

A switch lock assembly comprising one tumbler lock unit, a plurality of switches and a key. Said switches are supported rearward of the outer barrel of said tumbler lock unit, and said key is provided with a rearwardly elongated portion which projects rearward of the outer barrel. Said elongated portion has a longitudinal operating edge which can operate at least one actuator of said switches when the key is rotated. The present switch lock assembly can control a lot of apparatuses and the like.

United States Patent [191 Takahashi SWITCH LOCK ASSEIVIBLY [75] Inventor: Tetsuo Takahashi, Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignee: Takigen Manufacturing 00., Ltd.,

Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Apr. 12, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 460,598

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 18, 1973 Japan 48-43071 [52] US. Cl 200/44; 70/434 [51] Int. Cl. HOlH 9/28 [58] Field of Search 70/434, 379 A; 200/44,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,257,517 6/1966 Sedley 200/44 Oct. 14, 1975 3,550,410 12/1970 Toepfer 70/434 Primary ExaminerRobert K. Schaefer Assistant ExarninerM. Ginsburg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Waters, Schwartz & Nissen ABSTRACT A switch lock assembly comprising one tumbler lock unit, a plurality of switches and a key. Said switches are supported rearward of the outer barrel of said tumbler lock unit, and said key is provided with a rearwardly elongated portion which projects rearward of the outer barrel. Said elongated portion has a longitudinal operating edge which can operate at least one actuator of said switches when the key is rotated. The present switch lock assembly can control a lot of apparatuses and the like.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14,1975 Sheet1of2 3,912,888

3 6 II F US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,912,888

SWITCH LOCK ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a switch lock assembly wherein an actuator of a switch is driven by a cam attached to a rotatable lock cylinder of a tumbler lock unit, so that those who do not have a key can not operate the switch.

In the prior art, such a switch lock assembly has only one switch, so that one apparatus alone can be controlled. Therefore, if there are a number of apparatuses to be controlled, it is necessary to provide the corresponding number of switch lock assemblies. It is impossible to obtain a simplified controller panel, because a great part of the front of the controller panel are occu pied with the heads of numerous tumbler lock units. As each switch lock assembly includes one tumbler lock unit, such a multiple controller requires a number of tumbler lock units which are not inexpensive, so that it is very difficult to decrease the cost of production.

It is an object of the invention to provide a switch lock assembly having a plurality of switches which can be operated by a single tumbler lock unit.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the front face of a multiple controller panel.

The other object of the invention is to decrease the cost of production of such a controller.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings fonning a part of this specification, a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a switch lock assembly constructed in accordance with the principle of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the assembly;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the assembly when a switch is removed;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 parts being shown in section; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are side elevational views of different keys employed in the assembly.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a switch lock assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises one tumbler lock unit 10 and a plurality of switches a, 20b, 20c, 20d. The tumbler lock unit 10 is composed of an outer stationary barrel l3 and an inner rotatable lock cylinder 12. The lock cylinder 12 has three locking pins 1 1 which can be driven to an inoperative position by the operating edge 32 of the key when the key are inserted into the key hole 14 of the lock cylinder 12. An attaching member 23 is fixed to the rear end face of the outer barrel 13 by two set screws 22. Four switches 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d are attached to said attaching member 23 by means of two screw bolts 25 which are threaded into two tapped holes 24 formed in the attaching member 23. The respective actuators 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d of said switches are located in alignment on the same line parallel to the axis of the lock cylinder 12. The respective leads 26a, 26b, 26c and 26a may be connected to apparatuses A, B, C and D which are unshown in the drawings. This tumbler lock unit 10 are attached to a controller panel 1 by two nuts 16 and 18. The reference packing, respectively.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6, and -7, the key 30-is provided with a rearwordly elongated portion 31 which can project rearward of the rear end-face of' the lock cylinder 12. The elongated portion 31 has a longitudinal operating edge which can drive at least one actuator 21a, 21b, 210, 2 Id to an operative position when the key 30 is rotated in a clockwise direction throughout an angle of Referring to FIG. 5A in particular, this key can drive all of the actuators 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d, because its operating edge is formed continuously all over the length. Therefore, those who intend to operate all of the apparatuses A, B, C and D should use the key 30 shown in FIG. 5. The key 30 shown in FIG. 6 can drive three actuators, that is to say, actuators 21b, 21c and 21d, as its elongated portion 31 is provided with a recess 33a in the longitudinal operating edge, which the recess 33a allows the actuator 21a to stay at an inoperative position. Therefore, those who intend to operate the apparatuses B, C and D have to use the key 30 shown in FIG. 6. Referring now to FIG. 7, the key 30 can drive two actuators, that is to say, actuators 21a and 210, because the elongated portion 31 is provided with two recesses 33b and 33d in the longitudinal operating edge, which allow actuators 21b and 21d to remain at an inoperative position. The key 30 shown in FIG. 7 should be used by those who wish to operate two apparatuses A and C.

It is to be noted that there can be obtained a lot of different keys 30 by changing the number and location of recesses 33a, 33b 33d. In case of the present embodiment of the invention, fifteen different keys 30 may be obtained. One, two or three switches 20a, 20b, for example, which are predetermined by a designer may be operated solely or simultaneously by one of the different keys 30.

Now, it should be understood that the switch lock assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention can control a lot of apparatuses and the like, as it includes a plurality of switches 20a, 20b which are operated solely or simultaneously by the single tumbler lock unit 10. It is, therefore, possible to simplify the front face of a multiple controller panel considerably.

Also, it is practicable to decrease the cost of produc tion of such a controller, because the number of tumbler lock units can be reduced extremely. Furthermore, it is possible to decrease the space to be occupied by switch lock assemblies, and to lessen the area of the front of controller panels. A great part of the panel front can be utilized for attaching space of other meters and the like.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, only insofar as the invention has particularly been pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

What I claim is:

1. A switch lock assembly comprising one tumbler lock unit, a plurality of switches, said tumbler lock unit having an outer stationary barrel and an inner rotatable tumbler-equipped lock cylinder, and a key to be inserted through said lock cylinder, said switches being supported rearward of the outer barrel, actuators of ating edge which drives at least one actuator to an operative position when the key is rotating said lock cylindef; 

1. A switch lock assembly comprising one tumbler lock unit, a plurality of switches, said tumbler lock unit having an outer stationary barrel and an inner rotatable tumbler-equipped lock cylinder, and a key to be inserted through said lock cylinder, said switches being supported rearward of the outer barrel, actuators of said switches disposed in alignment on the same line parallel to the axis of the lock cyLinder, said key having a rearwardly elongated portion projecting rearward of the outer barrel when inserted through said lock cylinder, said elongated portion having a longitudinal operating edge which drives at least one actuator to an operative position when the key is rotating said lock cylinder. 